Shloka 23
Kośa, Bala, and Maryādā: Treasury, Capacity, and Enforceable Limits (कोश-बल-मर्यादा)
यस्य कोशबलग्लान्या सर्वलोकपरा भव: । भैक्ष्यचर्या न विहिता न च विट् शूद्रजीविका
yasya kośa-bala-glānyā sarva-loka-parā bhavaḥ | bhaikṣya-caryā na vihitā na ca viṭ-śūdra-jīvikā ||
Bhishma berkata: Bagi seorang kshatriya yang perbendaharaan dan kekuatan militernya telah merosot sehingga ia terancam ditundukkan oleh siapa pun, nasihat yang telah disebutkan itu ditujukan. Bagi kshatriya, hidup dari meminta-minta tidak ditetapkan, demikian pula mengambil mata pencaharian yang layak bagi vaishya atau shudra.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A kshatriya must uphold kshatriya-dharma even in hardship: when wealth and military power decline and defeat threatens, he should not resort to begging or to occupations assigned to vaishyas or shudras; the prior guidance is framed specifically for such a crisis.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma is advising the king about proper conduct and permissible means of sustenance in times of political and economic weakness, clarifying what is and is not sanctioned for a kshatriya.